Frame construction



June 7, 1966 F. F. DIEM FRAME CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Original Filed June 5, 1961 INVENTOR. FRED F. DIEM :ETIEZ ATTORNEYS June 7, 1966 F. F. DIEM FRAME CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed June 5, 1961 INVENTOR- FRED F. DIEM ATTORNEYS 3,254,773 FRAME ONSTRUCTION Fred F. Diem, Oakland, Calif, assignor to M. Greenbergs Sons, Inc., San Francisco, Calif.

Original application June 5, 1961, Ser. No. 114,768, now Patent No. 3,183,574, dated May 18, 1965. Divided and this application Oct. 12, 1%4, Ser. No. 432,911

1 Claim. '(Cl. 21171) This is a division of application Serial No. 114,768, filed June 5, 1961, and now Patent No. 3,183,574, issued May 18, 1965.

This invention relates to urns for the interment of cremated remains and to a frame for supporting the urns.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an um and a fram therefor which have the requisite longevity for items of this type by virtue of its structure while at the same time having an appealing appearance during exposure and use. A more specific object is to provide an urn and frame construction that is rigid and durable while permitting air circulation around a substantial portion of the urn so that condensation may drain and residual moisture evaporate. provide a frame that offers a solid bearing surface or support for the entire urn and not merely a support for the cover plate of the urn. Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following detailed specification proceeds.

in a preferred embodiment, the combination urn and frame construction of the present invention comprises supporting frame for cremation urns. The frame is of the type that is flexible as to size and shape and thereby as to urn capacity depending upon how and to What extent its components are assembled. Normally, the frame is employed against a wall and the urns are slid or lifted in and out of only one side of the frame. The frame includes a plurality of pairs of horizontal bars and a plurality of vertical spacers, each pair of horizontal bars' being fixed at a preselected vertical distance from another pair of horizontal bars by the vertical spacers. The two horizontal bars in each pair are joined laterally by a plurality of spaced apart fiat urn supporting members which are relatively narrow when compared with the width of the urns. The urn supporting members lie flush with the tops of the bars joined thereby.

The urns which hold the cremated remains are placed in the foregoing frame. Each urn includes a rectangular box having an open end and in which each pair of adjacent sides is joined by a beveled edge member. An ear extends outwardly from each beveled edge member at the open end of the box. The urn further includes a cover plate for the open end of the box and means for fixing the cover plate to the ears to seal the open end.

In normal use, the urn is disposed between two pairs of horizontal bars of the frame with one of the sides of the urn contacting at least one of the fiat urn support ing members of the frame.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawing in which FIG. 1 shows in end elevation an urn and frame construction in accordance with the present invention with the cover plate of one urn removed and a suitable design on the outer surface of several other urn cover plates.

FIG. 2 is a side section of a portion of the construction shown in FIG. 1 taken along the line 2-2.

FIG. 3 is a bottom elevation of a construction provided by the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the frame provided by the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of an urn provided by the present invention.

As best illustrated in FIG. 4, the frame of the present invention comprises a plurality of pairs of horizontal A further object is to United States Patent 0 3,254,773 Patented June 7, 1966 'ice bars 10. The mutually facing upper longitudinal edges of horizontal bars 10 in each pair define square cut notches 11 therein. A plurality of spaced apart flat urn supporting members 12 join the horizontal bars 10 which make up each pair thereof. Urn supporting members 12 are adapted to fit in the square cut notches 11 of bars 16 and lie flush with the tops of bars 10 joined by supporting members 12. This permits the urn to be described hereinafter to slide smoothly in and out of the frame. The uniformly level configuration also permits the urn to be supported substantially along its entire length, one pair of frame bars 11) and one of the urn supporting members 12 serving as the complete surface.

- Urn supporting strips 12 are fixed to horizontal bars 10 by screws 17 which are also sunk flush with th surface of members 12.

Each pair of horizontal bars 10 is fixed at a preselected distance from another pair of horizontal bars by a plurality of vertical spacers 13. Vertical spacers 13 maintain the pairs of horizontal bars in common vertical planes. Each vertical spacer 13 comprises an elongated rod 14 and a plurality of sleeves 15 positioned over the rod 14. Sleeves 15 are'cut to a length equal to the preselected distance desired between pairs of horizontal bars 10.

Thus, to assemble the frame, a pair of horizontal bars 16 are slipped onto the rods 14 by inserting the rod 14 in spaced holes 16 in bars 10, then placing a sleeve 15 over rod 14, then placing another pair of horizontal bars 1% over rod 14, and continuing the foregoing step-wise procedure until a frame of any desired height is obtained. Rod 14 is fixed to the lower-most pair of horizontal bars 11) by any suitable means such as by bolting or by threadabiy connecting the rod 14 with a cooperatively threaded hole in the lower-most bars 10. Similarly, the uppermost pair of horizontal bars 10 may be fixed in place with respect to the other elements by a suitable means such as with bolts or the like engaged with the upper end of rod 14.

It is noted that the frame construction shown in FIG. 4, for example, is merely a segment or" a frame that may be constructed to any desired height or width. The height is obtained as noted in the previous paragraph. The width may be increased by employing longer horizontal bars 10 and/or by joining a plurality of sections of the type illustrated in F1G.'4 by a suitable connective means. For instance, two sections may be joined together employing a metal connective strip to which each of the sections are individually attached with screws.

The urn portion of the present invention includes a receptacle 18. Receptacle 18 hasa bottom 19 and an open end 19' defined by the sides to b described, opposite to bottom 19 as best illustrated by FIG. 1. The cross section of receptacle 18 is an octagon having two pairs of wider parallel sides 20, 20' and 21, 21' and two pairs of narrower parallel sides 22, 22 and 23, 23.

Receptacle 18 may alternatively be considered a rectangular box composed of sides 20, 20' and 21, 21' in which each pair of adjacent sides are joined by a beveled edge member. The beveled edge members are sides 22, 22 and 23, 23'.

An ear or triangularly flanged portion 24 extends out wardly from the open end 19' of receptacle 18 from the narrower sides or beveled edges 22, 22 and 23, 23 generally normal to the longitudinal axis of receptacle 18. A cover plate. 25 for sealing the open end 19' of receptacle or box 18 is fixed to triangularly flanged portions 24 with screws 26.

Screws 26 engage the receptacl side of cover plate 25 from flanged portion 24. Beveled edges 22, 22' and 23, 23' provide sufficient space to permit the positioning of a suitable tool for driving screw 26 from receptacle 18 towards cover plate 25.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, cover plate 25 suitable carries a nam engraving plate 25a fixed to the outward side of plate 25. The border of cover plate 25 may also be suitable engraved with a design 27. Design 27 is complete on the borders of cover plates forming the perimeter of the overall construction. Borders of cover plates which abut with adjacent cover plates contain only half the design. The half design meshes with another half design contained on the borders of abutting adjacent cover plates to form acomplete design.

A plurality of bolts 28 at each corner of cover plate 25 fixes the cover plate to horizontal bars 10. Fixing cover plate 25 to horizontal bars in turn attaches receptacle 18 thereto when receptacle 18 is attached to cover plate 25 with screws 26.

As best seen in FIG. 3, supporting member 12 is relatively narrow with respect to side of receptacle 18. As a result, side 20' overlaps substantially supporting member 12. This permits adequate air circulation around the urn during prolonged storage and provides adequate drainage and moisture evaporation. he result is to enhance the appearance of the construction to visitors and retard long term corrosion.

Preferably, the construction is made of bronze to further retard long term corrosion although other suitable metals and/or plastics could be used, for example.

In addition, it will be seen that bottom 20' is supported substantially throughout its entire length by bars 10 on either end and supporting member 12 therebetween. This provides a solid bearing point for the entire urn and offers unusual stability and thereby eliminates warp- Horizontal bars 10 may be formed with a depending projection 29 to which cover plate can then be bolted. The lowermost pair of horizontal bars 10 is provided with pairs of blocks 30 and 31 to serve as a supporting base for the entire construction.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, receptacle 18 has been illustrated as a single urn merely for ease of description. As with other types of urns, the present urn may be made as a single unit as illustrated, as well as for example, a double in both the separate or mingled varieties. Doubles and larger units when desired are suitably made side by side, in which case the cover plate 25 may be constructed as one single member. A suitable unit cover plate for a double urn is illustrated at 32 in FIG. 1.

Alternatively, the receptacles may be placed back to back and suitably adapted to provide separate or mingled type constructions. When back to back, the receptacles 18 may be bolted or otherwise attached so that when being pulled from the frame construction, pulling on one receptacle will carry with it the receptacl therebehind. With back to back units, the frame construction is suitably made of double depth to accommodate the second receptacle.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the spirit of the invention as limited only by the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A supporting frame for urns containing cremated remains comprising a plurality of pairs of parallel horizontal bars, each pair of bars including a first horizontal bar and a second horizontal bar whose mutually-facing, upper longitudinal edges define square cut notches therein, a plurality of vertical spacers, each comprising an elongated rod and a plurality of cylindrical sleeves therefor of preselected length, each pair of horizontal bars being fixed at a preselected distance from another pair of horizontal bars by said vertical spacers so that said first horizontal bars lie in a common vertical plane and said second horizontal bars lie in a common vertical plane, said first horizontal bars including a downward projection coextensive with the upper longitudinal edge furthest removed from said second horizontal bar in each pair, and a plurality of spaced apart, narrow, flat, urnsupporting members joining the horizontal bars in each pair, said members adapted to fit in said square cut notches and lie fiushwith the tops of the bars joined thereby, each of said members being singularly positioned along said horizontal bars between and equidistant from adjacent vertical spacers.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,083,409 1/1914 Nolan 108-59 2,689,050 9/1954 Albin 211-128 2,937,767 5/1960- Butler 211-148 2,942,735 6/1960 Higgins 211-148 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

K. J. WINGERT, Assistant Examiner. 

